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Figured In order to test the general character of the tombs that were seen to be scattered at intervals

samiloksng body over the northern portion of the area without any enclosure or distinct grouping, I next turned to wrappings, the isolated tomb, Ast. vi. 1, marked by a mound somewhat above the usual height. The tomb Ast. vi. r. chamber, II feet square, was reached at a depth of 15 feet and showed a conical roof cut into two

superimposed squares after the fashion seen in Gandhara and Kashmir temples and illustrated by

modern examples in Chitral, Mastûj, &c.1 Its height was 7 feet. Here three bodies, all badly damaged, lay in a confused heap on pieces of coarse matting. The heads were all detached and the corpses decayed. But the bones were still wrapped in thick folds of mixed rags, exactly after the manner indicated by my finds in the grave-pits of the Lou-lan cemetery L.C. Amidst these rags a number of interesting textile remains were recovered.. Apart from a mass of plain silk fabrics in different colours, vi. I.05, 07, we have here pieces of fine polychrome figured silks, vi. 02 ;

Sepulchral The sepulchral deposits had also been completely disturbed by plunderers. Among them were

deposits in found three coarsely worked wooden figures, one representing a woman, vi. 1. oio (Pl. CIV), Ast. vi. I.

and the two others men, vi. I. 0'1,014 (Pl. CIV). The latter two are of interest because they show

coats crossed over the breast in a distinctive fashion. Of other miscellaneous objects mention may be made here of two miniature pairs of shoes, vi. I. o8, 021 (Pl. XCIII) ; of the miniature bow with arrows in a quiver, vi. 1. 023-5 (Pl. CIV), and the neatly made boardings of wood and matting, vi. i. 012-13 (Pl. XCIV), which may have formed part of a box. Outside the entrance was found a piece from a wooden tablet inscribed with Chinese characters. [Among these Dr. Lionel Giles has recognized a date indicated by the Nien-hao Shêng p`ing and apparently corresponding to A. D. 364.] 2 The eastern wall of the tomb facing the entrance had been whitewashed and bore a dado about 2 feet high with panels painted somewhat crudely in bold outlines and gay colours. They showed from right to left a tree and floral tracery ; two women and a man, kneeling after the fashion of donors in Chien-fo-tung paintings ; a rude cart drawn by several oxen and accompanied by the driver, and above them a kneeling camel. The style of the work resembles that seen in the paper painting, Ast. vi. 3. 05 (Pl. CVII).

Finds in The tomb vi. 2, situated about 35o yards to the north-east of vi. 1, contained a single body,

tomb of a man, with the head and arms detached. The body was wrapped in rags, with remains of buff

Ast. vi. 2.

and blue silk covering the whole. Among the miscellaneous rags was the fragment of blue resist-

dyed silk, vi. 2. 04 (Pl. XXXVI), with two rectangular panels of figured silk sewn on. The designs shown by the latter, of a dragon and a winged lion, are unmistakably Chinese in style and execution, resembling those of figured silks from L.C., with which the warp-rib weave also associates these pieces. The whole, like Ast. vi. 3. 07 (Pl. LXXVIII) to be mentioned below, looks as if it had served as, or been made up to look like, a shoulder-piece with straps. The head, vi. 2. o6, which was fairly well preserved, had its hair done in a knot and showed remains of a scanty beard and moustache. The miscellaneous finds include the crudely carved wooden figure of a man,

1 Cf. Serindia, i. p. 48, Fig. 16. 2 [Shêng-p`ing was the last Nien-hao of Mu Ti, who died